Things to do in Pennsylvania
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Jim's Steaks
If you can brave the long lines - which bust out of the front door and snake around the side of the shiny art-deco building - you'll be in for a treat at this Philly institution, which serves mouthwatering cheesesteaks and hoagies (plus soups, salads and breakfasts).
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University Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology
The University Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology is Penn's magical museum, containing archaeological treasures from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Mayan peninsula, Greece, Rome and North America. Its fragments of Sumerian script are among the oldest examples of writing ever found.
The neighborhood of University City, separated from downtown Philly by the Schuylkill River, feels like one big college town. That's because it's home to both Drexel University and the Ivy League University of Pennsylvania (commonly called 'U Penn'), founded in 1740. The leafy, bustling campus makes a pleasant afternoon stroll
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Interior Design District
Formerly gritty Lawrenceville has recently become the city's Interior Design District, comprising the stretch on and around Butler Street from 16th to 62nd Sts. It's a long and spotty strip of shops, galleries, studios, bars and eateries that's on every hipster's radar, and runs into the slowly gentrifying Garfield neighborhood, a good place for cheap ethnic eats.
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Amada
One of several Spanish tapas places to have opened in Philly in the last few years, Amada is run by renowned restaurateur Jose Garces - weekend dinner reservations are hard to come by. The long communal tables foster a bustling, happening and loud atmosphere and the combination of bold and traditional flavored dishes (try the crab-stuffed peppers) are phenomenal.
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Farmicia
Dedicated to simply crafted, local and organic foods, the meals at this BYOB spot - including an organic Angus burger with caramelized onions, and Alaskan salmon with roasted beets and lentils - are creative and soul satisfying. Vegetarians are well-cared-for, with a variety of tofu, pasta and veggie-and-grain plates to choose from. Weekend brunch rocks, too.
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Capogiro Gelato Artisans
Whatever you do, if you're up for dessert, don't skip Capogiro, which is not your average ice cream shop. The design here is slicker than a Barcelona nightclub, and the gelato, in dozens of outrageous flavours - like cilantro-lime and black walnut, all made from hormone-free cows - is perfection. Moo!
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White Dog Cafe
This 24-year-old institution is the kind of funky-yet-upscale place that college students get their visiting parents to take them to for special dinners or brunch. The local, largely organic menu offers creative interpretations of meat and fish dishes.
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La Viola
Facing off across the street from one another are the old and new La Violas - both BYOB. The former is a cramped and unpretentious dining room, while the latter is larger and more modern; the cuisine at both, however, is fresh and reasonably priced.
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Maoz Vegetarian
This tiny storefront, actually an outpost of a chain from Amsterdam, is always packed with healthy hipsters wanting in on the cheap, fresh falafel sandwiches, which you can pile high with marinated veggies, toppings and sauces.
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Barnes Foundation Gallery
The Barnes Foundation Gallery houses an exceptionally fine collection of impressionist, post-impressionist and early French modern paintings, including works by Cézanne, Degas, Matisse, Monet, Picasso, Renoir and Van Gogh.
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Dirty Frank's
In the dive-filled Washington Square area, try evergreen-favourite Dirty Frank's, a local institution on Antique Row that's adorned with an outdoor mural of about a dozen famous Franks; it's got cheap booze and boho patrons.
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Pod
Part of the restaurateur Stephen Starr's empire, this space-age-looking theme restaurant has pan-Asian treats including dumplings and some of the best sushi in Philly, plus plenty of quirky cocktails and original desserts.
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Abay
This funky spot features great Ethiopian cuisine from chicken- to lentil-based stews, all served with a particularly good version of that spongy, delicious injera bread instead of cutlery.
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Khyber
Trendy Old City stops at the door to this down-and-dirty old rock bar. Nightly music except Mondays, when karaoke takes over. The Strokes made it big while they were the Khyber's resident band.
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Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is a prestigious academy that has a museum with works by American painters, including Charles Willson Peale and Thomas Eakins.
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Original Hot Dog Shop
Affectionately nicknamed 'dirty Os' or 'the O' by locals, this is a favorite for its cheap dogs and mounds of crispy fries - especially after a night at the bars.
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Koreana
Koreana satisfies students and others interested in good, inexpensive Korean fare; enter from the parking lot in the back of the shopping plaza.
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Franklin Institute Science Museum
Franklin Institute Science Museum is where hands-on science displays were pioneered; a highlight is the Ben Franklin exhibit.
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Horizons
One of the few restaurants in Philly to satisfy the vegan gourmand, Horizons serves healthy, guilt-free dishes made of soy and veggies.
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Continental
A stylized old-fashioned diner, the specialties here are hip crowds, eclectic tapas and specialty martinis - as indicated by the huge speared martini olives that hang from the ceiling.
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Independence National Historic Park
This L-shaped park, along with Old City, has been dubbed 'America's most historic square mile.' Once the backbone of the United States government, it has become the backbone of Philadelphia's tourist trade. Stroll around and you'll see storied buildings in which the seeds for the Revolutionary War were planted and the US government came into bloom.
You'll also find beautiful, shaded urban lawns dotted with plenty of squirrels, pigeons and costumed actors. These days, the park looks spiffier then ever. The only downer is the barrier that now surrounds the park's top two sites - Independence Hall and the bell - installed as a security precaution.
Independence Hall is the 'b…
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Liberty Bell Center
Liberty Bell Center is Philadelphia's top tourist attraction and was commissioned to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Charter of Privileges (Pennsylvania's constitution, enacted in 1701 by William Penn). The 2080lb bronze bell was made in London's East End by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in 1751. The bell's inscription, from Leviticus 25:10, reads: 'Proclaim liberty through all the land, to all the inhabitants thereof.' The bell was secured in the belfry of the Pennsylvania State House (now Independence Hall) and tolled on important occasions, most notably the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence in Independence Sq. The bell became badly cracked …
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Park
This L-shaped 45-acre park, along with Old City, has been dubbed 'America's most historic square mile.' Once the backbone of the United States government, today it is the backbone of Philadelphia's tourist trade. Stroll around and you'll see storied buildings in which the seeds for the Revolutionary War were planted and the US government came into bloom. You'll also find beautiful, shaded urban lawns dotted with large groups of schoolchildren and costumed actors. Most sites are open every day from 9am to 5pm, and some are closed Monday. Note that you must call or stop in to the Independence Visitor Center to make a timed reservation before visiting the high-volume Indepen…
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Chinese Friendship Gate
The fourth-largest Chinatown in the USA, Philly's version has existed since the 1860s. Chinese immigrants who built America's transcontinental railroads started out west and worked their way here. Today's Chinatown remains a center for immigrants, though now many of the neighborhood's residents come from Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam in addition to every province in China. Though it does hold a few residents, the tone of Chinatown is thoroughly commercial. The Chinese Friendship Gate is a decorative arch built in 1984 as a joint project between Philadelphia and its Chinese sister city, Tianjin. The multicolored, four-story gate is Chinatown's most conspicuous landmark.
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Valley Forge National Historic Park
After being defeated at the Battle of Brandywine Creek and the British occupation of Philadelphia in 1777, General Washington and 12,000 continental troops withdrew to Valley Forge. Today, Valley Forge symbolizes Washington's endurance and leadership. The Valley Forge National Historic Park contains 5½ sq miles of scenic beauty and open space 20 miles northwest of downtown Philadelphia - a remembrance of where 2000 of George Washington's 12,000 troops perished from freezing temperatures, hunger and disease, while many others returned home. A 22-mile cycling path along the Schuylkill River connects Valley Forge to Philadelphia.
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